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By Rebecca Johnson  

In what could mark a turning point for modern dentistry, researchers at King’s College London have successfully recreated the biological environment needed to grow human teeth in the lab, an achievement that may pave the way for a future in which lost teeth are regrown rather than replaced with artificial implants or fillings.

The study, part of the university’s broader work in regenerative medicine, focused on developing a material that enables cells to communicate and trigger the complex biological process of tooth development. The researchers say this milestone could eventually lead to more durable and natural alternatives to current dental restoration practices.

“We developed this material in collaboration with Imperial College to replicate the environment around the cells in the body, known as the matrix,” said Xuechen Zhang, a Ph.D. candidate in the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College. “When we introduced the cultured cells, they were able to send signals to each other to start the tooth formation process.”

This innovation addresses a key shortcoming in previous research efforts. Earlier attempts to stimulate tooth development failed, Zhang noted, because they released cellular signals all at once, overwhelming the system and halting growth. By contrast, the new material is engineered to release signals gradually, mimicking the timed interplay of natural development.

The findings, published in a peer-reviewed journal this week, highlight a shift in how scientists envision future dental treatments. Instead of repairing or replacing missing teeth with artificial materials, researchers are now exploring how to guide the body to regenerate lost structures using stem cells and bioengineered environments.

According to the team at King’s College, the next major hurdle is determining how to transplant lab-grown teeth into the human mouth. Two strategies are under consideration: one involves implanting early-stage tooth cells directly into the site of the missing tooth and allowing them to develop in situ; the other involves growing the entire tooth externally in a laboratory setting before transplantation.

“Both approaches require us to initiate the earliest stages of tooth development in the lab,” Zhang explained. “But they hold extraordinary promise.”

The breakthrough builds upon decades of research in developmental biology and regenerative engineering. While teeth may seem static once formed, they originate from a sophisticated sequence of cellular events that take place during early human development. Reproducing this cascade of signals in a petri dish, what scientists refer to as a bio-mimetic environment, has been a central challenge in regenerative dental science.

Though the results are promising, experts caution that clinical application is still several years away. Any treatment involving implanted or bioengineered teeth will require extensive preclinical testing, followed by regulatory approval and clinical trials to establish safety and effectiveness.

Still, the implications are far-reaching. Dr. Ana Angelova Volponi, the study’s corresponding author and a senior lecturer in craniofacial development and stem cell biology, believes the research could fundamentally transform dental care.

“As the field progresses, the integration of such innovative techniques holds the potential to revolutionize dental care,” Dr. Volponi said. “This study exemplifies the cutting-edge research driving that transformation, highlighting our faculty’s commitment to advancing oral health through scientific discovery.”

Dental disease remains one of the most widespread chronic health issues globally. According to the World Health Organization, untreated dental caries, or tooth decay, affects over 2.5 billion people, while tooth loss due to periodontal disease and other factors remains common in older adults. Current solutions, including dentures, crowns, and implants, can be expensive, uncomfortable, and prone to complications over time.

Lab-grown teeth, if brought to clinical use, could offer a sustainable and biologically compatible alternative—one that not only restores function and aesthetics but also integrates seamlessly into the patient’s oral anatomy.

The broader field of regenerative dentistry is also looking beyond teeth. Researchers are exploring how to repair gums, jawbone, and other oral tissues using the same techniques that are now powering innovation in other areas of medicine, such as organ regeneration and neural repair.

Stem cells. especially dental pulp stem cells found inside baby teeth and molars, have emerged as a key area of interest, with several research centers investigating how to harness them for more comprehensive oral treatments.

The team at King’s College London believes their work represents a new frontier in that effort. The engineered material that triggered tooth development in the lab could serve as a model for replicating other complex tissue interactions in the body.

“Our findings demonstrate not just the potential of regenerative dentistry,” said Zhang, “but the broader promise of regenerative medicine when biology, engineering, and innovation come together.”

For now, growing a tooth in a dish remains an extraordinary feat of science. But if future studies prove successful, the day may come when a trip to the dentist ends not with a drill, but with the quiet sprouting of a brand-new tooth, grown just for you.